France and Spain Face EU Anchovy Fishing Ban in 2006
Date: 14-Sep-05
Country: BELGIUM
Lying on the North Atlantic coastlines of both countries, the Bay of Biscay is the key trawling ground for the fish. Stocks of anchovy, an essential ingredient in Spanish cooking, have reached very low levels after years of overfishing.
In July, the European Commission -- the EU's executive arm -- imposed a three-month ban on anchovy fishing in the area and will now extend it until the end of the year. It said it wanted new scientific information before it considered lifting the ban.
"This stock is in a very parlous state," Commission fisheries spokeswoman Mireille Thom told a daily news briefing.
"There have been two bad years for ... getting young anchovies to boost numbers," she said, adding that EU cash would be available for out-of-work fishermen, without giving details.
The Commission also wants to keep fishing restrictions in the North Sea off Britain's Scottish coastline for plaice, haddock, cod, whiting, saithe and monkfish.
